Dek hockey is a variation of ice hockey and is also known as gym hockey or street hockey. Dek hockey is played wearing shoes rather than skates and uses a ball rather than a puck. It consists of three 15-minute periods of play with a 3-minute intermission provided between each period.
Dek hockey began in the 1970s when Raymond W. Leclerc built the first three outdoor dek hockey courts in Leominster. He also invented the no-bounce orange ball that is used for ball hockey and dek hockey, making him the founder of street hockey and dek hockey.
Dek hockey is played on a rink made of tiles that are called dek surfaces, named after the material of the boards. This support came from playing street hockey and has evolved to playing on tile or deks that are made from both indoor and outdoor rinks. The name came from players referring to the sport court as the dek and saying they were dek hockey.
Dek hockey is a great sport for all and takes little equipment to get started. You will need protective gear, gloves, running shoes, a helmet, shin guards, and a hockey stick. You will also wear a colored jersey, and the opposing players will wear a different color to help keep the groups separate.
Dek hockey rinks are typically built to accommodate either teams of three against three or four against four. You will find these common dek hockey rink sizes:
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Owner & Founded of J Bird's Landscaping & Owner Sport Court of PA. 18+ Years of experience in Pittsburgh Sport court installation, lawn cutting, patio installation, trucking/hauling, French drain installation, and other landscape/design services.
